The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-23
THE HOTELS In FAR LANDS.
NOW IRAVBLLERs FARE IN INDIA,
CHINA, AND JAPAN

coed, Bea. snd indifferent In nnais, Abeusi-
nabie In China, and DeiiahtSui Among the
Jsps-Pretty Japanese Waiter Giris.
In treating OF the hotel system in india,
one has nowadays to take account Of at least
three entirely different institutions. First,
and most characteristics OF tho country. the
dak bungalow, then the carayanserai, modelled
upon the same plan rs similar Institutions Tor
the accommodation Of caravans and travellers
in Persia, and, lastly. tho hotels on the Euro
pean or American system.
At convenient distances, say from ten to
thirty miles. all along tho main travelled roads
of India one finds dak bungalow. The OAK
bungalow Is usually situated at the outskirts
of town or village, and is q substantial build
ing Of adobe. with broad-eaved roof OF heavy
thatch. One finds an old native In charRe'
known as q chowkidar. or Waterman. He Ii
generally an old sepoy pensioner who remain
cd faithful to the British cause during the mu-
tiny. As q reward for his fidelity, In addition
10 his regular army pension. he has charge
over O dak bungalow, and reaps the benefits
OF sundry perquisites appertaining to the post
The dak bungalow Is o Government affair.
and not private enterprise. Hanging In the
rooms are placards giving the regulation
prices that are to be paid for rooms and meals.
"A book is also kept. in which each traveller is
required when he leaves to enter his name,
date. amount paid. &c.
The average charges are one'rupee (about
nifty cents) per day for rooms. one rupee for
dinner. twelve annas for tiffin. and eight for
chota hazari or little breakfast. The anna Is
one-slxteenth Of rupee. The cost OF days
halt at dix bungalow is about dollar and
half not counting extras. The extras consist
OF fees to the meetah who sweeps out your
room the pahni- wallah who brings water In
goatskin for your bath, and the punkah-wal-
lab who works the big suspended fan overhead.
The furniture OF the rooms consists OF table,
chairs. and O charpav or native bedstead. NO
bedclothes or comforts OF any kind beyond food
and bath tub are provided. The traveller on
Indian roads is expected to carry with him
everything he requires, except food and place
he ABSENCE ema OF bed Covering is missed. how
the main belng tho
ss Is ns dsee .he
Indian travellers comfort. He is in fact abb
soiuteiy necessary. as without his constant
hea thas seep only
him after complete exhaustion.
head and stretching across the room, Ithangs
down to within three feet OF the bed. The
pu9kah-w allah sits beneath porch . outside DE
stle hole ei in The vail This Keeps Tie bedroom
filled with gentle breezes that act as a sopor-
80 Tint intense was the heat when rode through,
India OF the
happened to dose off in the night and allow the
punkah to cease swinging. would wake In
hs or ni IS
man who INDUCES IN more vigorous measures.
word Or and the
agency starts the soothing breezes again and
sleep returns almost as quickly as It departed a TED
and night. The punkah, and the cord loading
10 the hole in the wall. is a feature Of every
tSe annr tsSs as Bed
vices OF two pun kah-wal!ahs, one for the night
snd he se
the European traveller.
His room companions are often Of the most
crawling about the walls and ceilings. colonies
Of big black ants swarm In and out OF holes IN
the d door With familiarity born of H{ndoo
epect for all forms Of animal life. Squirrels,
and otheT small ma II bgsmS
on ones bed in the night. iocks Of registering
whEr past and monkeys Fey pas 1hsr
ssat GGesss % @ low
hH o Pars
hooting Of night owls the yelp OF lackals the
whirring flight Of parrots. and q whole medley
frequently. tho scream OF q leopard, or the tigers
terrifying roar. make up the night orchestra,
curried rice, curried chicken or mutton. eggs.
and ehuppaties or native bread: AT the OAK
bungalows near the larger cities one n can OBJ
sometimes American canned fruit.
Since the railways have re-, taken iS 4 EuEopean
low. service has somewhat degenerated from
its former state Of efficiency. Everybody now
lows It Is next to impossible Tor a European to
get anything to eat. Some high-caste Hindoo
lis iHs ehI prende foabds t.
the wants Of a FerenShi. The, old Hindoo
ealeus 70 .he sahIb, but not ios ali the wealth
Of the Indies could he be induced to DO any
Five In ssr The sahb Usually
somewhere ia search Of a Mohammedan or a
Hindoo OF lower caste to come and COOK some
lie caravansaries Of India are large. square
the ens sdes o. Of e
rooms. Owing to the absence OF punkahs,
are totally unfit for The Of
travel. however, made 1t imperative upon me
to spend an occasional night Mt q serai. My
there was to emnloy native, to stand and Ian
me all night With bG r R Pal fan Sut This
Ss best 9Rs soaa a
Queer seenes sometimes greet the traveller
ut these Indian caravansaries. In Its court
and animals; On one OCCASION: re'm,ember.
present embraced elephants. camels, horses,
mules, cattle, goats. and q whole menagerie OF
wild animals in cages. These latter were re;
gent captiyes from the junsles being conveyed
prince. In addition to these: the trees. the
bQiai1g and the ground were fairly alive with
nipresent throughout India.
In most of the larger cities OF India one fnds
hotels kept by Europeans. or Parsees. They
are most frequently conducted on the Ameri-
can plan. OF charging a fixed sum per day, or
for rooms and meals The charges vary from
four rupees TO dozen or more. The food and
attendance are, as a general thing excellent.
the parlor a, moments, the punkah begins
swinging and the grateful breezes fan ones
yigilant punkah- wallah greets you there also
big pendulous fan. Ones entrance into any
room In well-conducted Indian hotel Is the
signal for the pendant punkah to commence
swinging to and fro. and for the atmosphere to
pome whirling in cooling eddies about ones
face.
From Indian hotel life to that OF China is q
decided change. for the worse. Although the
OAK bungalow Is not the most desirable place
a., h he, Il 10 ftnb Ia 1ioaf In